Fathers Day 2009

This year I decided to celebrate Fathers Day with a picnic at Mount Edgcumbe. My daughter and her boyfriend Phil travelled down from Bristol for the weekend so that made is really special as we dont often all get together.

Fortunately the weather was warm and quite pleasant so we were able to sit back and relax. We had plenty to chat about and plenty to eat. My daughter was centre stage and asked us to be quiet. She had an announcement to make - the delightful news of a new addition to the family in 9 months time. Me a Granny! We were all very surprised as the news was so unexpected but nice all the same. They have even chosen the names Leon for a boy and Melody for a Girl. I suppose i will have to start getting used to be being call Granny Addy!

Day out at Coleton Fishacre - 5.6.09

A luxuriant garden by the sea, with an Arts & Crafts-style house, featuring Art Deco-influenced interiors - that describes where i spent the whole day today. Visiting Coleton Fishacre a beautiful National Trust House/Gardens.

The house at Coleton Fishacre was built as a country home for Rupert D'Oyly Carte and his wife, Lady Dorothy D'Oyly Carte, between 1925 and 1926. The architect was Oswald Milne, a former assistant to Edwin Lutyens, who designed the house with the principles of the Arts and Crafts movement in mind: simplicity of design and quality of craftsmanship. The influence of this older movement notwithstanding, the house is influenced by its own time, especially in its Art Deco interior.

The garden at Coleton Fishacre runs down a narrow combe from the house to the sea at Pudcombe Cove. The garden features rare and exotic plants.

What a fantastic day out today - walking around the house and gardens of this beautiful property. We took advantage of the warm sunny day and headed out to Coleton Fishacre; however the journey was not without incident as we ended up in Dartmouth on the wrong side of the river! We eventually headed towards our destination via the Higher Dart Ferry - a bit pricey at £3.50 but well worth it when we eventually got to Coleton. We sat in the sun and ate a very nice lunch surrounded by elderly men and women enjoying the weather too. On our walk round the gardens we kept bumping into couples out for a leisurely stroll who made light of the walk downhill and uphill unlike me and my friend who had to stop for a breather on the conveniently placed benches every now and again.

We had a laugh at one point over a very nice Magnolia tree. You really had to be there to appreciate just how funny it was. Now looking back it is still quite funny - the smell of the Magnolia was something to cherish and i went over to take a photo of it. Quite harmless you may think however my friend decided to pull the branch down so i could take a "close-up" shot at which point whilst pulling the branch towards me the head of the Magnolia snapped off and ended up on the floor. Something and nothing but we couldn't stop laughing. A real tonic for both of us.

I cant wait for my next day off so that we can visit another National Trust property - hopefully sooner rather than later.

Thanks Mate!